wounded in the head, arm, and thigh, the prince succeeded in
reaching the Pope's chamber. At the sight of her spouse covered with
blood, Lucretia sank to the floor in a swoon.

Alfonso was carried to another room in the Vatican, and a cardinal
administered the extreme unction; his youth, however, triumphed, and he
recovered. Although Lucretia, owing to her fright, fell sick of a fever,
she and his sister Sancia took care of him; they cooked his food, while
the Pope himself placed a guard over him. In Rome there was endless
gossip about the crime and its perpetrators. July 19th the Venetian
ambassador wrote to his Signory: "It is not known who wounded the duke,
but it is said that it was the same person who killed the Duke of Gandia
and threw him into the Tiber. Monsignor of Valentinois has issued an
edict that no one shall be found with arms between the castle of S.
Angelo and S. Peter's, on pain of death."

Caesar remarked to the ambassador, "I did not wound the duke, but if I
had, it would have been nothing more than he deserved." His hatred of
his brother-in-law must have been inspired also by personal reasons of
which we are ignorant. He even ventured to call upon the wounded man,
remarking on leaving, "What is not accomplished at noon may be done at
night."

The days passed slowly; finally the murderer lost patience. At nine
o'clock in the evening of August 18th, he came again; Lucretia and
Sancia drove him from the room, whereupon he called his captain,
Micheletto, who strangled the duke. There was no noise, not a sound; it
was like a pantomime; amid a terrible silence the dead prince was borne
away to S. Peter's.

The affair was no longer a secret. Caesar openly stated that he had
destroyed the duke because the latter was seeking his life, and he
claimed that by Alfonso's orders some archers had shot at him when he
was strolling in the Vatican gardens.

[Illustration: CAESAR BORGIA.

From a painting by Giorgione.]

Nothing so clearly discloses the terrible influence which Caesar
exercised over his wicked father as this deed, and the way in which the
Pope regarded it. From the Venetian ambassador's report it appears that
it was contrary to Alexander's wishes, and that he had even attempted to
save the unfortunate prince's life. After the crime had been committed,
however, the Pope dismissed it from his mind, both because he did not
dare to bring Caesar--whom he had forgiven for the murder of his
brother--